My hands

Lately when I’m driving and I nearly get in an accident—someone cuts me off or I slam on my brakes or any of the various near misses that happen with shameful regularity—my hands burn. I mean the thin skin on the backs of my hands grows hot and tingly.

It’s not an unpleasant sensation. It disappears within a couple breaths. What is it, adrenaline? Or some shot of bloodflow in response to danger? Nothing just happened, but my body reacted like something happened. It’s a tiny, physical response to a close call.

I assumed this only happened in the car: a mini panic attack, isolated to the spot where sunlight bastes my hands as I grip the steering wheel.

But last week it happened while I was in the house, fingers curled and hovering over my laptop. My hands lit up when I read this review of my book, Flight Path. So I learned something about myself just then.

I have virtually retired this blog (est. 2004!) in favor of Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and occasionally, freelance writing jobs. I'll keep paying the annual Typepad fee to keep it online for a while, so that anyone who Googles "Mountain View, Georgia" can find my research and musings from way back. Stumptown has been a wonderful sketchbook for me stash ideas and test theories, feeling published yet somehow still private enough to experiment.

Thanks for reading. 

Comments

[Stacy]

And this is exactly what happened. I read the review in Atlanta Magazine this morning, got to work and Googled "Mountain View"...and here we are. So well done! And your story sounds so interesting. I am looking forward to getting a copy and reading it. Best wishes!

[Lynne Goins]

I was born in 67. Lived at 216 oak forest drive. Mountain View, GA. Been looking for pictures of the place. Cant find any.

[Don Gallion]

Hannah, thank you for sharing this history and your story through your blog and your wonderful book (just finished it). I lived in Forest Park from 1963 to 1978, graduated from FPHS in 1974 and appreciated being reminded of names, places, and memories.

As someone who has sworn off social media and closed all my accounts (there's a study to be had in there somewhere) I appreciate you having a web presence outside of it. I also know the cost and time involved in maintaining a blog; let's face it, most folks today would rather use social media in spite of Mark Zuckerberg knowing everything you order online.

Thanks again for sharing your story